Stock-feeding apparatus.



F. E. BASS.

STOCK FEEDING APPARATUS. APPLICATIONIFILED NOV. 8, 1916.

Patented Feb. 13,1917.

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STOCK FEEDING APP AI i ATUS. APPLICATION FILED NOV- B| I916- 121 6,05Uu Patented: Feb; 13, 1917.

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FREDIE E. BASS, OF NEWSOME,

TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T SCROGGINS, TEXAS.

K. H. COOPER, 0F

STOCK-FEEDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented Feb. 13, 191?.

Application filed November 8, 1916. Serial No. 130,150.

To all whom it may concern l 3e it known that I, FREDIE E. Bass, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newsome, in the county of Camp and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stock-Feeding Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the "following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a clock controlled apparatus for feeding domestic animals or stock, such as cows, horses, hogs or the like and the primary object of the invention is to provide a structure, operable by the operation of the alarm of an ordinary alarm clock which will automatically release feed contained in suitable boxes, so that the feed may fall into the trough or manger oi the animal.

A. further object of this invention is to provide a feed box which is positioned above the manger and has one side thereof pivoted and normally held in a closed position through the medium of cables and a slidable lever which is held against slidable movement by a pivoted lever, and to provide a fiat spring which is normally held out of en agement with the pivoted lever by any suitable type of pawl, which pawl is operated by the alarm of an alarm clock for releasing the spring which will allow the spring to strike the pivoted lever and release the slidable lever, which will in turn permit the pivoted doors of the feed boxes to swing open allowing the feed to fall into the trough or manger positioned beneath the same.

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, rel:- erenee will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the feeder.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the clock controlled lever operating means.

Fig. 3 is asection on the line 3-3 of Fig, 1.

Fig. 4 is a section through the feed box and trough or manger, and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a guide pulley used in the construction of the feeding apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a platform which is sup ported in any suitable manner by the wall 2 of a barn. The platform 1 forms a support for an ordinary alarm clock 3, which is provided with the alarm winding key 1. The key 1, will rotate, during the unwinding of the alarm controlling spring, as is ordinary in alarm clocks of this nature.

Suitable braces 5 are provided, which are connected to the barn walls 2 in any suitable manner and support a pin 6 upon which a lever 7 is pivotally mounted. The rear end of the lever 7 projects part way over the platform 1, and is positioned in the path of a flat spring 8. The flat spring 8 is secured in any suitable manner to the platform and it is normally held under tension by a pivoted pawl 9. The pawl 9 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 10 carried by suitable standards 11, and it engages the spring 8, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, for holding this spring under tension. A cord or analogous flexible member 12 is connected to the pawl 9 above its pivot, and to the winding stem 4: of the alarm mechanism Oil the clock 3, so that during the unwinding rotation of the stem 4 the cord or flexible member 12 will be wound thereon sullicient distance to move the pawl 9 out of engage ment with the flat spring 8, allowing the spring to fly into its normal position, during which flying movement it will strike the lever 7 and rock the same upon its pivot 6, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The lever 7 has its outer end l l curved to term a transversely extending projection 15 which engages a hook 16 carried upon a slidable lever 17 The slidable lever 17 is supported by a. suitable supporting structure 1S, and it is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 19 in which a pin 20 travels. The pin 20 and slot' 19 are provided for limiting the slidable movement of the lever 17. The supporting structure 18 has a guide 21 carried by the outer end oi the same which guides the slidable move ment of the lever 17. A ring 22 is mounted upon the end of the lever 17 remote from the any desired number of thereto. The cables 23 travel about a grooved guiding pulley 24 which is supported by a suitable standard 25 and about guide pulleys 26 which are carried by suitable supporting braces 27. Each of the cables 23 is connected to the pivoted side or door 28 of a feed retaining box 29. The feed retaining box 29 is at tached to the barn wall 2 within a stall, and directly above the feed trough or manger 30. The door 28 is pivoted as shown at 81, so that the portion 32 which extends below the pivot will be heavier than the portion 33, which is positioned above the pivot 31. The cable 23 is attached to the top edge of the pivoted door 28 and when the hooked end 14: of the lever '7 engages the hook 16 of the lever 17, the cables are taut, for holding the pivoted door 28 in a closed position as indicated in solid lines in Fig. i of the drawing When the lever 7 is rocked or moved upon its pivot 6 by the action of the spring 8, the end 14 will move out of en gagement with the hook 16, thereby releas ing the slidable lever 17, and the weight of the feed within the boxes 29 bearing against the pivoted side 28 will slide the lever 7 outwardly, allowing the cables 23 to move and become slack, which will permit the sides 28 to swing into open position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings, which will in turn allow the feed to fall from the box 29 into the feed trough or manger 30. The feed box 29 preferably has an inclined bottom as shown at 84, so that all of the feed will fall therefrom into the manger 30. ings 35 extend outwardly on each end of the feed box so as to prevent the feed from falling laterally from the ends of the box.

Any number of the feed boxes 29, and cables 23 may be provided, for operation by the slidable lever 17, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

The alarm of the alarm clock 3 is set at any desired time, and the fiat spring 8 is forced backwardly under tension and engaged by the pawl 9, for holding it under tension until the pawl is rocked or moved out of engagement with the spring by the unwinding rotation of the key 1 of the alarm. The lever 17 is moved rearwardly, until the hooked end 16 is engaged. by the angled end 15 of the lever 7, which will hold the pivoted sides 28 of the feed boxes 29 in a closed position and hold the cables taut. The boxes 29 are then filled with the desired kind and quantity of feed. When the desired time is reached, the alarm of the clock 3 will operate, winding the flexible cord 12 on the key or shaft 4 which will move the pawl 9 out of engagement with the spring 8,

hook l6 and it has cables 23 connected Copies ofjthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, Waahina'tommfi allowing the spring to fly to its normal po sition, during which movement it will strike the lever 7, and rock this lever for moving the end 15 out of engagement with the hooked end 16 of the lever 17. This disconnection between the levers 7 and 17 will release the strain on the cables 23 and consequently upon the hinged doors 28, so that the lower portions 32 of the doors and the feed which is contained within the feed boxes will swing the doors 28 open, allowing the feed to fall into the feed trough or manger 30.

In reducing the invention to practice, certain minor features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may necessitate alterations to which the patentee is entitled provided such alterations are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

hat is claimed is 1. In a stock feeding apparatus, the combination, of feed boxes, pivoted sides for said feed boxes, means for normally holding said pivoted sides in closed position including a slidable lever, a pivoted lever for engagement with said sliclable lever and holding it against sliding movement, a spring, means for normally holding said spring under tension, means for operating said last named means at predetermined times for releasingsaid spring, said pivoted lever being in the path of said spring where by when said spring tensioning means is released, the spring will strike said pivoted lever and move it out of engagement with said slidable lever.

2. In a stock feeding apparatus, the combination, of feed boxes, pivoted sides for said feed boxes, means for normally holding said pivoted sides in closed position including a slidable lever, a pivoted lever for engagement with said slidable lever and holding it against sliding movement, a spring, means for normally holding said spring under tension, means for operating said last named means at predetermined times for releasing said spring, said pivoted lever being in the path of said spring whereby when said spring tensioning means is released, the spring will strike said pivoted lever and move it out of engagement with said slidable lever, a supporting structure for said slidable lever, said slidable lever being provided with a longitudinally extending slot, a pin seated in said slot for limiting the slidable movement of said slidable lever.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDIE E. BASS.

l/Vitnesses: V

H. H. GRANGER, D. PAYNE.

by addressing the flommissioner ofvfatents, 

